by D. L. Kramer
"It's not very pretty, is it?" Rena asked. She grabbed hold of a low-hanging branch from a nearby tree and pulled herself up to sit on it.
"Not really," Paki agreed, walking up to the shore. The water looked almost black today and he could only see the sand for a few inches out. It was colder here than back in the woods, too. "Brijade told me she comes out here a lot at night. Her parents were killed here and her brother's body left here."
Rena was silent for a few moments. "Church guards?" she finally asked.
"They're pretty sure it was," Paki nodded. He stared out at the lake for some time before he realized Rena hadn't responded again. He turned to look at her and saw tears running down her cheeks. "What is it?" he asked, coming to stand beneath her.
"They were drowned," she managed, her voice quiet. "There were eight church guards and just the two of them..." she trailed off. Her eyes were focused on a spot past him, but Paki could only guess what she saw there.
"How do you know that?" Paki asked.
Rena turned pained eyes to him, blinking them several times. "I--I can feel them," she answered. "They were more afraid for their children than for their own lives."
Paki reached up and lifted her down from the branch. She trembled against his hands, and he guessed the things she felt were as strange to her as they sounded to him. The things she was sensing were obviously having a deep effect on her. Putting his arms around her, he held her as close as she'd let him. Her breathing came in short heavy gasps, and it took several long minutes before she quit trembling. When she finally pulled away from him, they were both sweating.
"Are you all right?" Paki asked her quietly, watching her face. He didn't understand what she'd gone through, but he knew her fear and the pain in her voice had been honest.
"I think so," Rena responded, her voice a quite whisper. She turned to look at the lake again, taking a slow breath.
"What happened?" he asked, brushing the wet hair from her forehead.
Rena started to say something, then stopped, her eyes locking on Paki's as she looked back at him. A sudden realization was in her expression, not quite replacing the fear that had been there just moments before.
"So that's why you never look directly at me," she said with a hint of a smile.
"What?" Paki asked.
Rena took a small step back, slipping her hand into Paki's. She led him to the lakeshore, her steps deliberate even as her hand barely gripped his.
"What happened here is why it's so ugly." She turned to look up at him. "I could almost see them, see what happened to them." She shook her head slowly, as though not sure how to explain it to him. "It's like I can feel what's inside," she told him. "Anything that was strong or traumatic. Lord and Lady Takis' murder is what made the lake look this way."
"You mean you can tell what people are thinking?" Paki asked, his eyes widening slightly.
Rena paused. "No," she said, shaking her head slowly. "It...just seems to be emotions." She glanced up at him. "You can't concentrate when you see my eyes, that's why you don't ever look at me. I can feel your hesitation now."
"Well, I can't," Paki shrugged, his mind racing. Kile would have to be told about this newfound gift of Rena's. If she stayed with the Mo'ani, it could be a great strength, but if she turned back to the Archbishop, she could be a dangerous enemy.
Rena stood on her toes to brush a kiss past his cheek, then knelt beside the lake. Taking a handful of water, she splashed it over her face, rinsing away the sweat and tears. She knelt there for several minutes while Paki stared at her back, not sure what to think...or feel.
"Someone's coming," she said quietly, looking across the lake. Rena stood and stepped back beside him.
Paki was suddenly aware of how much time had passed. The sun had moved quite a distance over the trees. A jingling drew his attention and when he looked back at the lake, a man appeared through the trees just to their right, leading a horse.
"Well met," he greeted, raising one gloved hand. His brown hair was shoulder length, and hung in loose curls. A few days' growth on his strong chin promised to be a full beard if not shaved soon. He wore full leather armor under a familiar red cloak, and a broadsword was strapped to his saddle.
Paki raised his hand in return, then looked at Rena.
"He's a Mo'ani," he commented, though he was sure Rena recognized the cloak too.
"He has...a very good heart," she said slowly, looking at the stranger. "Like most of the Mo'ani."
They stood still while the stranger led his horse over to them.
"What news have you of Takis Hold?" he asked, letting his horse drink from the lake.
"Are you sure we're from Takis?" Paki asked. There was something about this man that made him want to trust him immediately. Much like he had felt when he met Kile.
The stranger chuckled. "If you weren't from Takis, her ladyship would've strung you up by your ears by now. She's not too fond of trespassers." He paused to adjust his cloak, reminding Paki even more of Kile. Though Kile usually adjusted his to make it more obvious, this stranger seemed to do it for comfort. "My name's Tamnor, I'm an acquaintance of Brijade's."
"This is Rena," Paki introduced. "I'm Paki. I'm afraid we can't tell you too much of Takis. We've only been there a week."
"Ah, visitors," the man smiled openly. "Then I bid you welcome to the neighboring holds of Takis and Devayne. The road between them is well traveled by the Mo'ani and well feared by the Archbishop's men." Paki and Rena exchanged looks as Tamnor bowed slightly then gathered his horse's reins. "I'll not interrupt your privacy any longer, and perhaps we'll see each other at dinner tonight?"
"Probably," Paki nodded slowly.
The stranger led his horse into the woods behind them and began whistling. Paki looked at Rena when he was gone.
"We may as well get back too," she suggested. "I'd like some time to...think about what happened to me out here."
"That might be a good idea," Paki agreed. "I wish I could help, but I don't have the faintest idea of what you went through."
"You helped me enough by being here," Rena smiled up at him, then took his hand and led him into the woods. "Maybe after dinner, if you wouldn't mind, would you tell me what the Stronghold's like?"
Paki pushed a low-hanging branch out of his way. "Sure," he shrugged. "It's a Stronghold in the mountains, so I'm not sure what else I can tell you about it." Not knowing what to make of her sudden gift, he didn't know why she'd want specifics about the Stronghold. He would definitely have to speak with Kile when they got back to Takis. "Why?"
"I just need to know about it," Rena said quietly. "I need to know if there's someone there who might be able to help me understand this."
"I'm not sure if there's a person exactly," Paki said. "But I'm sure Meda can find you a book or scroll."
"Meda?" Rena asked, looking up at him, a glint of hope in her eyes.
"She's the librarian there," Paki replied. "And she has the contents of the library memorized."
Rena smiled and when she spoke, there was a bit of hope in her voice. "Yes," she nodded her head slowly. "Any good librarian would." Once more holding onto Paki's arm, they walked the rest of the way back to Takis in silence.
Five - "Am I missing something here"
Paki knew he should tell Kile what happened by the lake, but every time he started to, something told him not to betray Rena's confidence. Even the thought of telling Bear made his mouth go dry. By the time dinner was called, he didn't really feel like talking to anyone and sat quietly at the end of the table.
Tamnor also showed up to eat with the rest of them, and as he and Kile entered the small dining room, Paki recognized Kile's lecturing tone of voice immediately.
"Ye still shouldn't be ridin' that road by ye'reself," Kile said, pulling off his cloak and draping it over the back of his chair before sitting down.
"I've traveled that road on my own since I was a student," Tamnor said, sitting between Kile and Brijade.
"
And what church guard wouldn't want Lord Devayne's head as a prize?" Brijade interjected.
Paki blinked, surprised to hear who Tamnor really was. For some reason, he thought Lord Devayne would be older, despite how Kile described him. Tamnor didn't look like the type to have as many children as Kile had mentioned, either.
"If they can catch me, they can have it," Tamnor leaned back in his chair.
"Ye're a damned fool," Kile muttered. Noticing Paki, he nodded to him. "Where's Rena?"
Paki shrugged, recovering from the surprise. "I'm not sure," he answered. "She wasn't feeling very well when we came back from the lake, so she might be lying down." The sideways look from Bear told him immediately his friend didn't believe him. He hoped Kile would.
"She's in that shack her ladyship here calls a cathedral," Tamnor offered with a nod at Brijade. As if he knew what Paki was afraid of, he casually picked up his water goblet and took a swallow. "She did seem a bit pale when I crossed paths with them at the lake."
"And you didn't offer her a ride back?" Brijade asked. "It's not like you ever ride that foul tempered horse of yours."
Tamnor turned to Brijade. "She already wasn't feeling well, I wouldn't want her to get bit." He set his glass down. "Besides, I'm sure the young man here could have carried her the whole way back if need be."
"Yeah, over his shoulder," Brijade muttered.
Paki looked at Brijade and, moving deliberately, picked up his own water goblet. He toasted her with it, nodding at her statement.
"I'll save that honor for you," he said.
"Am I missing something here?" Bear asked.
"Just that your friend's a bastard," Brijade tried to scowl, but was unsuccessful.
Bear turned to look at Paki, who only shrugged.
"Maybe," Bear said, looking back at Brijade.
They were interrupted when dinner was brought in. As the food was put on the tables and their glasses filled, Paki realized Adie wasn't there. When the cook and her assistants left, he looked over to Kile.
"Where's Adie?" he asked, cutting a piece from the game hen in front of him.
"I'm not sure," Kile shrugged. "She was in the office last time I saw her. She still has lots of heads to count before we leave the end of the week."
Paki nodded his head and turned his attention to dinner while the others dropped into small talk.
Finishing quickly, he excused himself and slipped from the dining hall. He wanted to check on Rena and make sure she was all right, but didn't want to raise any suspicions with Kile. He hadn't even made it half way down the main hall when Bear caught up with him.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"Nothing," Paki shrugged. "Really."
"You know, if you tell me, I could probably help you keep the captain from finding out."
Paki stopped and looked at his friend. Sometimes Bear was too observant for his own good. Before his mouth could dry up on him again, he looked behind them, then grabbed Bear's vest and pulled him into a side hallway.
"I don't know for sure what's going on," he said quickly. "But Rena's got some kind of empathic ability. When we were out by the lake she started talking about Lord and Lady Takis and how they died, including what they were feeling when they died."
"Really?" Bear blinked. "No wonder you don't want the captain to know."
"Yeah," Paki leaned against the wall. "I know I should tell him, but whenever I try to, my mouth just sort of freezes."
"I can understand why," Bear agreed, pausing for a moment. "Now what did Brijade mean when she made the over-the-shoulder comment?"
Paki smiled and bowed his head, trying not to laugh. "When Kile was talking to you and took you to the armory I wouldn't tell her what it was for. She wouldn't get out of my way so I could take your crossbow to the room, so I picked her up and carried her up the stairs too."
"Bastard," Bear said.
Paki shrugged, still smiling. "That's what she said."
"You know we're going to have trouble when we get back to the Stronghold, don't you?" Bear asked.
"Just because we're a good two years younger than most of the apprentices there," Paki said. "Surely you don't think they'll try to knock us down a few notches, do you?"
"Not when anyone's watching," Bear said. "Maybe we should ask to go to Bavol Hold. Lord and Lady Bavol really don't tolerate that sort of thing."
"Do you really think Mo'ani would let us go?" Paki asked.
"No," Bear admitted. "But I like the thought of that better than having to watch my back for the next two or three years."
"We don't have to watch our backs," Paki pointed out. "That's what we have the stallion and Chase for."
"Are you ever going to name that horse?"
Paki shrugged. "I don't know," he said. "He's never given any hint he wants a name." He pushed off the wall and they walked back into the main hall.
"Well," Bear paused when they reached the main door. "I'm going back to finish dinner. I'll see you in the training yard tomorrow."
"Archers don't spend time in the training yard," Paki pointed out.
Bear sighed. "This archer has had it spelled out to him that he's going to learn how to use a bladed weapon of some sort, or die trying."
Paki chuckled. "It is for your own good, you know," he said.
"Easy for you to say," Bear muttered, turning to walk back to the dining hall.
Paki pulled open the heavy door and walked into the night. Torches sputtered along the outsides of the stone buildings, giving some light inside the hold. He made his way to the tiny cathedral, pausing for just a moment outside the door. There were no windows on this building, so he had no way of knowing if Rena was still there. Finally deciding he didn't want to stand outside all night, he pulled open the door and stepped inside.
Rena sat on the stone bench at the front of the room. A thread of smoke drifted from the brazier on the altar and circled around her. She showed no sign of having heard him, and Paki approached her carefully.
When he reached the bench, he could see she was crying again. Brushing the hair out of his eyes, he sat beside her.
"I keep asking why I've been given this ability," Rena said quietly, not looking at him. "But they won't answer."
Paki smiled faintly. "Do they always give you answers you can hear right away?" he asked.
Rena turned to look at him. "I usually know," she answered, nodding her head slowly. "Even if it's just a feeling, it's enough for me to know what the answer is supposed to be."
"Bet the BishopLord didn't like that very much," Paki commented.
Rena looked back to the brazier. "He didn't know," she said quietly. "I refused to go with them to the altar at the manor. Blood sacrifice is evil, and I didn't even want to witness it."
"Bear has a real problem with it too," Paki said. "I traveled so much when I was little, I never realized it was happening. I didn't even know the difference between a temple and a cathedral until I got to the Stronghold. I always thought they were the same thing. I'd never noticed that cathedrals were there for anyone to worship any of the gods, but temples were just dedicated to one individual god."
Rena smiled faintly. "When the Archbishop seized power, the gods ordered the temples closed except to the most devout of their priests." She sighed and looked at him.
"You sure know an awful lot about this," he said. "I'm sure the priests at the manor didn't teach you."
Rena smiled guiltily. "Whenever we traveled, I used to sneak away and visit the libraries," she explained. "I'd always felt the Archbishop was wrong in the things he was demanding, and wanted to know what it was like before him." She shrugged slightly. "That's how I know about Nahtan. Did you know he's mentioned as far back as a century before the Archbishop was even born?"
"No," Paki shook his head. "I thought his name didn't show up until the Archbishop took power."
"In a scroll at the library in Herridon," Rena continued. "It was written by one of Halona's high priests. He says the goddess came to
him in a dream and told him the story of Jensina's baby. Then told him because of her sister's sadness, something evil would happen that would make us mortals just as sad. But because Jensina drew strength from the soul of her baby, we would find strength to resist the evil among us. The priest said the power was in the name."
Paki studied her for a moment, absorbing everything she said. "Nahtan?" he asked. A voice in his mind was screaming at him that Kile should be told all of this, but he couldn't bring himself to leave just yet.
Rena nodded her head slowly. "And what would be better to draw men together than a god-blessed warrior who would stand with them to oppose evil?"
"Whenever his name's mentioned, every Mo'ani's eyes do light up," Paki agreed slowly. "Nahtan's only supposed to be mortal, though. Wouldn't that disappoint a lot of them?"
"Will you be disappointed when you meet him?"
Paki stopped to think about it. He'd never considered how Nahtan might present himself to the Mo'ani. He was supposed to be a warrior, and warriors weren't given to extravagant overtures. He also doubted he'd accept any stranger who claimed to be Nahtan. He'd definitely have to prove himself first, and Paki knew most of the Mo'ani shared his cynicism.
"I guess it depends on how I meet him," Paki finally concluded to Rena. "If he just sort of walks in and says he's Nahtan, I probably wouldn't believe him."
"It should be interesting," Rena nodded her head. "There have been three generations devoutly trained for him and they're all rebellious, untrusting sorts."
"I'm not rebellious," Paki blinked at her. "Bear is, but not me."
"You are," Rena smiled. "You just don't know it yet." She stood up and dusted off her skirt. "I think I'm going to go get some rest." Leaning over, she brushed a kiss past his cheek, then quietly left the tiny cathedral.
Paki stared at the smoldering brazier, trying to sort out what he just heard. He didn't feel rebellious, though he had to admit, the couple of times he'd ignored his self-imposed restrictions, it had been more fun. Telling Kile he could shoot the goose in the Wardsman's Woods, carrying Brijade up the stairs instead of arguing with her... He didn't hold himself back while in the training yard either, and his mind always seemed clearer then. He didn't exactly fight like a gentleman; tripping Brijade and pinning her would have gotten him stable duty at the Stronghold. Mo'ani wouldn't have cared if she was trying to cut his head off or not.
